My name is Elaine Taylor-Kerr. I am a member of St. Thomas United Church in Calgary. I joined the Chinook Winds Region Executive in 2022. I am married to Richard and we have two adult sons.
I grew up in Edmonton where I attended St. Stephens United Church. Singing in the children’s choir and later the adult choir plus being involved in Hi C (the name for youth group in the 70s) kept me actively interested in the Church as a youth and young adult. The community of supportive people was also important to me.
After graduating from the University of Alberta with a computing science degree, I moved to Calgary. For the first few years that I lived in Calgary, I attended church occasionally but didn’t find a church community that I felt a part of as a young single person. When I got married, we moved to the Hawkwood community and started attending St. Thomas. There we found a welcoming community, a wonderful music program and a good Sunday school program. I joined the choir. Our sons attended Sunday school and later youth group. Both went on to be youth leaders. Richard and I both serve on church committees. The church is a wonderfully accepting and supportive place for all of us.
Many people today are searching for a place where they feel they belong. They are also searching for purpose and a spiritual home. I believe the United Church has a lot to offer in both of these areas.
My hope for Chinook Winds Region is that we will have thriving Church communities where all people will feel accepted and will find a spiritual home. In particular, I hope we will find ways to interest our youth and young adults in staying involved in the Church.